BRICS members agree to deny terrorists access to finance

The meeting deliberated on security issues such as counter-terrorism, cyber security and energy security, MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.

New Delhi: Top security advisors of BRICS grouping on Thursday agreed to cooperate to deny terrorists access to finance and weapons while vowing to launch joint efforts to counter terrorism and violent extremism emanating from the West Asia and North African region.

The decision came as the BRICS High Representatives responsible for security held their sixth meeting here, which was presided over by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

They deliberated on security issues such as counter- terrorism, cyber security and energy security, MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, adding that they also exchanged assessments of recent developments in West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region.

He said that India has always said from the very beginning that there should not be a segmented approach on the issue of terror.

The High Representatives encouraged cooperation and exchanging of best practices, expertise, information and knowledge on counter-terrorism issues.

In this context, they welcomed the first meeting of the BRICS Working Group on Counter-Terrorism that was held a day before.

They also agreed to expand BRICS Counter-Terrorism cooperation further to include measures for denying terrorists access to finance and terror-hardware such as equipment, arms and ammunition.

They underscored the need for a global legal regime to deal with the global menace of terrorism, Swarup said.

The delegation from Brazil was led by General Sergio Westphalen Etchegoyen, Minister of State, Head of the Cabinet for Institutional Security of the Presidency of the Republic of Brazil, Russia by Nikolai P Patrushev, Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, China by Yang Jiechi, State Councilor and South Africa by Mbangiseni David Mahlobo, Minister of State Security.